VANDE MATARAM PLAYED AT BEATING RETREAT

AUM
VANDE MATARAM PLAYED IN BEATING RETREAT
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
VANDE MATARAM, the national song of India that is Bharat, made a debut in the Beating Retreat ceremony 2012. It was a treat to hear the instrumental music of the national song at the Vijay Chowk, New Delhi for the first time on 29 January 2012. What a peasant delight that the Indianisation of the musical ceremony of an hour took a step forward and rendered the instrumental version of Vande Mataram on Shahnai and Tabla. The audience thought that it was recorded music but it was not so. Both the Shahnai and Tabla players sat in an invisible corner at the end of the North Block and mesmerised the music-loving crowd of spectators. The additional effect of music came to life through a judicious use of microphones producing the desired level of sound and echo.
It may be mentioned here for the benefit of connoisseurs of military music that all tunes included for the annual feature, Beating Retreat at Vijay Chowk, are played LIVE. No recorded music is used and none goes on the air.
A GLIMPSE OF HISTORY
Beating Retreat has an interesting history and the tradition has been passed on from generation to generation. The young soldiers, sailors or airmen chosen to be players of their respective bands consider themselves a privileged lot because they are given the latest instruments to practise. Thereafter they become privileged members of the goodwill delegation visiting foreign countries to perform in public parks there. The exchange of military bands strengthens the mutual relationship and minimises the possibility of hostilities.
In Bharat right in the battles fought in the Mahabharat, fighting took place from sunrise to sunset. The battle came to a sudden halt with declaration of a cease fire through sounding of trumpets, conch shells, drummers’ calls or any other pre-determined sound that was loud enough to be heard in every corner of the battlefield. The arrows came off the bows, swords were sheathed and all fighters returned not only to their respective camps but also visited the enemy camps to compare notes and listen to senior warriors about the strategy employed and likely changes to be made the following day. The bitterness of battlefield disappeared and bon-homie of the large families of Kauravas and the Pandavas returned to be in evidence. Of course, with the Sunrise next morning the battle began as usual. At sunset when the cows go home, Beating Retreat brings the battle to a close for the night once again.
Indeed that fascinating tradition of Beating Retreat faded into oblivion as the modern warfare goes on incessantly. Now Beating Retreat is only a ceremony of military music played by military bands. It is a grand spectacle held all over the world and is presided over by the Head of the State. In India Beating retreat was institutionalised in early 1950s and it is the President of India who is the Guest of Honour. The ceremony is so popular that unprecedented crowds turn up for the rehearsals and the ticketed shows. The distinguished Indians and foreigners go to see the grand spectacle on the 29 January with members of family in tow. The children and youth like the military music immensely
INNOVATIONS GALORE
The Beating Retreat in India in the early Fifties had western tunes on its list of musical score. However, over a period of time it was noticed that the young generation sat through rather glumly because they were not in touch with the English music or the British army music traditions. Since the idea was to attract the youth to the Armed Forces and also build a friendly relationship between the soldier and the civilian, it was decided to introduce Indian Ragas and other light music tunes that the military bands could play.
Raga Yaman took the lead and was immensely popular among the large audiences that came from all walks of life. It was military music based on Hindustani Sangeet that worked wonders. The Indian ears relished the new inductee tunes. The process kept on developing. However, it was the Indian tune set to the western musical instruments. The Innovators thought that there was room for more innovation here too. They got going and achieved the desired results.
Came Beating Retreat 2012 and brought in its wake more innovations. Of the 27 compositions played by the military bands of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force in an hour long ceremony, as many as 14 had been composed by the Indian musicians. The number of English and other European composers was gradually receding in the background and now it was well pronounced.
VANDE MATARAM played on the exclusively Indian musical instruments like the Tabla and the Shahnai walked away with the cake. The vast crowd assembled at the Vijay Chowk on a sunny Sunday afternoon was just thrilled The long applause in the form of hearty clapping by one and all including children bore testimony to immense popularity of Vande Mataram rendered on Indian musical instruments at Beating Retreat. The national song of India has an emotional appeal to the Indian audiences. Singing Vande Mataram, men and women had fought for independence and drove the foreign rulers from our soil and now hear it in the bastian of western music was a treat. Those who were there and heard the Vande Mataram will cherish the memory of those moments for many years to come.
Among the Hindi song-tunes newly introduced was VIJAYEE HIMALAYA.The highest peak of the world, Mount Everest nests in the Himalayas. Further, at the end of Beating Retreat year after year, when the combined bands are marching away on the Raisina hills, the tune played is: Sare Jahan Se Achcha, Hindostan Hamara. That song composed by poet Iqbal and set to band tune by A. Lobo also mentions the Himalayas as our sentry and the Defender. Thus the emotional appeal did strike a chord.
Indeed the evergreen tune played year after year is ABIDE WITH ME. The tune and its rendering are an instant success. This hymn made a debut as a Christian prayer but also became an instant hit in Beating retreat and military tattoos. The sound and the echo of tubular pipes coming from a little distance with military musicians hidden from view, a kind of divine touch is added to the musical rendering. When Monk had set it to tune acceptable as military music he did not think that the song’s popularity will cross many barriers of race, religion and region and stay on top of popularity for ages.
The audience conceded that being there at Vijay Chowk, New Delhi for Beating Retreat was indeed a divine experience.
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FIGHT FOR HONOUR NOT A TENURE

AAUM
AGE IS A MATTER OF MIND,IF YOU DON’T MIND IT DOESN’T MATTER
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
General Vijay Kumar Singh is an officer and a gentleman. He is Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army and commands the third largest army in the world. Professionally speaking, he is sound and knows his p’s and q’s better than any other experienced officer on both sides of the Suez. Thus he has made a name for himself, his Service and his motherland. Quite a few officers senior to him played chess to see if there could be formation of a Chakravyuh for this Abhimanyu of modern age to derail his Rath and prevent his becoming the Sar Senapati of the Indian Army. Vijay Kumar Singh proved to the Kauravas that Abhimanyu of today was more clever than they thought him to be.
DAY LIGHT CONSPIRACY
Some senior army officers located in the South Block of the Central Secretariat in the national capital came to know that old VK Singh had two recorded dates of birth. It might have been a rare privilege for the Caliph of Baghdad to enjoy and the Sultan of Istanbul to give a go bye but for old VK it was a source of super propaganda that put him on the pedestal. A great believer in the pristine beauty of Nature, VK enjoyed the Sun light and kept away from limelight until it was thrust upon him. The conspiratorial gang of the army brass discovered and broadcast gleefully that the short statured high profile infantry officer rated as Chief material by all ranks had two dates of birth recorded in his service profile. The opponents who came across this chance discovery celebrated Diwali in the hope of having the high profile VK cut to size.
VK Singh, however, had another plan based on the TRUTH that would steal the thunder from the Kaurava camp and would put additional wind in own sails. VK went through all the concerned files and pin pointed where the mistake lay. The High School certificate from the Rajasthan Educational Board had mentioned the correct date of birth, viz May10, 1951. Other related documents also made a mention of the age correctly. However, when a master of the Birla School, Pilani filled VK’s application for the entrance examination to the NDA, he, relying on his memory filled the date of birth as May 10,1950. This was an honest mistake and all concerned knew that it would be corrected in due course of time. Unfortunately, that was not to be till today. As VK’s luck would have it, all Service records, all Annual Confidential Reports and all promotion papers mention the correct date of birth, namely may 10, 1951.
VK Singh made sincere efforts to have his date of birth entered wrongly in the NDA entrance examination form changed to the correct one. Surprisingly his every attempt at correction was thwarted by the Military Secretary’s branch, Army Headquarters on the plea that it would upset declaration of results of promotion boards. At a particular moment VK’s application to Army Headquarters for suitable correction was turned down and he was ordered through a signal to accept the wrong date as the correct one or alternatively face disciplinary action. VK was given just 3 hours to make up his mind and communicate to the MS branch, Army Headquarters. VK did that willy-nilly and accepted the wrong date of birth as the correct one under a threat of initiation of disciplinary action by Army headquarters against him. Obviously, that threat or coercion prevented VK from exercising his free will. Going by law of the land, the then Chief of the Army Staff may be prosecuted for preventing a brother officer and his junior from exercising his free choice and consequently the TRUTH was negated and converted into falsehood. VK cannot be hauled up for an action or omission that happened under duress.
ALL EYES ON SUPREME COURT
General VK Singh had knocked at every door at the Army Headquarters and the Ministryof Defence but none opened. Justice was denied to the serving Chief of the Army Staff. His honour was sullied as a vicious propaganda was carried on to paint him in bad light as a votary of falsehood. It was said that the Chief does not go to a court of law. It was said that he should resign in the first instance and then file a petition. An officer who is likely to become the Army Chief and has some clout in the government because of his religion and ethnic background has all along been in the forefront leading charge of the light brigade against the big guns of the army of General VK Singh. General VK Singh wishes to present his clean image to the Army and the Nation so that the common man knows who the culprit is. Once the people of India make up their minds about who the villain of the Piece is, adjudicating sundrey residual issues may be just peanuts.
The Prime Minister is now hinting at an administrative action so that conrinuity of command is maintained Does it mean that the Prime Minister is contemplating dismissal of General VK Singh so that the post of the Chief falls vacant and a favourite of his is duly installed . it would be very unfortunate if the Prime Minister initiates and executes dismissal from service of Chief of the Army Staff. It will lower the morale of the corps of officers and Jawans at a time when the nation is surrounded by deadly enemies from all sides. Such an action will reflect the mental and physical bankruptcy and utter lack of leadership in government of India.
Indeed the main ball to be played is in the court of the Apex Court. The immediate issue is : to Admit or to not admit” the petition of General VK Singh. If the petition is admitted, a date for arguments and final disposal will be fixed. The earlier the better, preferably before may 10, 2012 so that general VK Singh reaps the harvest of what he has sown.
Ministry of Defence, Govt of India is harping on the point that the petitioner, General VK Singh has accepted May 10, 1050 as his date of birth and, therefore, Estoppel prohibits him from going back on his own admission. The important point to be considered here is: was General VK Singh coerced to state what was not true by the govt of India? If so, the petitioner is not checked by Estoppel from opening the case afresh to arrive at the truth. Further, how can an individual or the govt change the date of birth of an officer or a Jawan, irrespective of the willingness of an individual or an organisation to do so. The date of birth of an individual recorded in the High School certificate is final and irrevocable.
Well ! The cat will be out of the bag soon when the Supreme Court of India takes up the petition for preliminary hearing to decide whether to admit it or not to admit it. The question-answer session and the body language of all concerned will give the Counsels, the Onlookers and the Petitioner, not forgetting the Govt of India, an inkling into the future.
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PRESENT POSITION IN PAKISTAN POLITICS

AUM
PRESENT POSITION IN PAKISTAN
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
The philosopher poet who conceived of an Islamic State in British India and coined the word, Pakistan must be turning restlessly in his grave at the entrance gate of the Mughal mosque in Lahore. He was none other than Mohd. Iqbal, the nationalist poet who gave India the evergreen song, Sare Jahan se Achcha Hindostan Hamara. A turncoat later, he was out and out a Muslim communalist but that is another story. Right now I am recalling him in connection with his hobby horse, a homeland for the Indian Muslims, Pakistan that is in turmoil. The crux of the matter is: who will rule Pakistan now and hereafter.
NEVER A DEMOCRACY
The founding father of Pakistan Mohammad Ali Jinnah, a non-conformist Muslim who loved to eat pork and drink wine, was a votary of Pakistan as a democratic State. He, however, never had a chance to implement his ideas because cancer took its toll and Jinnah’s dead body ay buried in Karachi. The sundry politicians misruled and mismanaged the El Dorado of Islam, the largest Muslim State in the world that Pakistan became a fiefdom of the Army Generals. The top brass of the Navy and the Air Force, still fledgling services, had little choice but to toe the Army’s line. The story was repeated time and again. The average Pakistanis got so used to seeing the Khaki of the army on the road day and night that their presence in the barracks made news.
The professionalism of the Army took a beating because right from the under training cadets at the academy in Kakul to induction into their respective regiments and going through career courses, young officers always had issues pertaining to running the country uppermost on their minds The professional pamphlets on running the operations of war always took a back seat. Consequently Pakistan army lost the three major wars and the Kargil conflict that it fought against India.
The Pakistan Army remained supreme at home and in running state organisations where large amounts of money went into their personal pockets. The Pakistan army officers got so used to be at the helm of affairs in the civil administration that in the heart of hearts they detested administering army units and looking after welfare of their troops. The standing and image of the Army officers took a beating in the eye of Pakistani citizens The Pakistani generals lost more credibility when it was discovered that they had harboured hard core Islamist terrorists and their leaders like Osama bin-Laden.
Pakistan Army also stands exposed as an ungrateful outfit. It bites the hand that feeds it. The US govt gave Pakistan a lot of money and the weapon system and yet the Pakistanis were so deceitful that they planned to have the American soldiers killed by the Taliban terrorists. No less a person than General Pervez Ashfaq Kayani, Paki Army Chief was involved in this anti-American conspiracy. His voice was recorded by the Indian Intelligence Agencies when he spoke to General Musharraf stating that the Pakistan Army would never kill Islamist terrorists but use them to protect flanks in a war with India.
Admiral Mike Mullen, erstwhile Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff had gone on record branding General Kayani as a liar. Pakistan is an untrustworthy ally and the world has realised it except the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who gave the paki PM a certificate as “Man of Peace.”Meek Manmohan is abetting his own country to commit Harakiri. Disgraceful show indeed!
SURPRISE IS A SURPRISE
President Asif Zardari is in Dubai attending the wedding of a friend’s son. Isn’t it surprising that the Army is reportedly planning a coup and return to power but the President is away attending a wedding ceremony in the Middle-East? An experienced analyst of Pakistan affairs is of the opinion that the wedding is a facade and President Zardari is canvassing for support for his civilian rule and building pressure on his own army to desist from a coup. Reportedly Zardari is returning within 24 hours as something is cooking in the Rawalpindi cantonment where the General Headquarters of the Army is located. The Civil government of Zardari and Gilani of the PPP does not want to be caught with its pants down. What will late Zulfiqar Bhutto and his daughter, late Benazir Bhutto think of the diplomatic calibre of their successors in power?
In any case late Zulfiqar Bhutto had been arrested by General Zia in a bloodless coup one fine morning long ago and was hanged till death by his own chosen Army Chief, Zia. That explains why no one trusts on one in Pakistan in the tradition of Aurangzeb of the Mughal dynasty of Agra-Delhi. Afterall, it was General Ayub Khan, a friend of the Indian Army Chief, General Cariappa who had removed his brother officer, Maj Gen Iskander Mirza in a bloodless coup and assumed power as the Chief Martial aw Administrator. Old Ayub ran the show for about a decade when his own junior officer General Yahya Khan replaced him in a coup. When General Yahya Khan lost the war against “That Woman”( Indira Gandhi) in 1971 and India dismembered Pakistan, it was the turn of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto to assume power in what was left of the original country named Pakistan. Thus the coup and the counter coup are a part of the Paki tradition. Of course, that is nothing to be proud of.
A patriotic Pakistani citizen feels ashamed of the fact that their own Army has been disloyal to the country and the constitution and overthrown the lawfully elected government time and again. Indeed no citizen shed tears for the overthrown politicians because they were as corrupt as corrupt could be. They have their villas and big bank balances in secret accounts in foreign banks to hold them in good stead on a rainy day.
ARMY NOW NOT THE SAME
Is the Pakistan Army now not the same as it used to be in their good old days? The political system in Pakistan is in disarray at this point of time. The external debt is mounting. America that used to run the administration of Pakistan is now not on their side. It stands cheated and has almost abandoned Pakistan.
China, a major player in the area and a benefactor of Pakistan right from giving them the Nuclear device to building ports and bridges or providing relief in earthquake hit areas has stakes in Pakistan’s stability. China has declared from housetops that Pakistan is their all-weather friend and that China will be with Pakistan through thick and thin. Above all it is Pakistan that keeps India engaged militarily and does not let it compete with China with single minded attention. Pakistan is a strategic asset for China and the latter will not allow the circumstances to deteriorate to such an extent that Pakistan disintegrates.
The Pakistan Army is now not as strong in national affairs as it used to be. Right from the days of General Ayub Khan to the recent rule after a coup by General Pervez Musharraf, the Pakistan Army did whatever it wished to. Perhaps it sought and obtained the nod of Washington DC for a change of rue from civil to military. Now America is no longer one of the three As – America, Army and Allah; and in the same order of priority – that ran the show in Pakistan. China is a counter-balance to America and from the days of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Pakistan has been looking across the Himalayas and getting the required help and diplomatic support from the People’s Republic of China.
As of now, China has not given the nod to the Pakistan Army to go ahead withtheir plan to stage a coup and remove Zardari and Gilano of the People’s Party of Pakistan from authority China, of course, wishes to have a strong Pakistan Army to counter-balance the armed forces of India BUT AT THE SAME TIME MAINTAINING A CIVILIAN GOVT IN Islamabad will enhance the democratic image of China too.
The Pakistan Army too may not be interested in taking over the administration of a country laden with debt. The Army wishes to have the Authority without corresponding answerability to a constitutional body like the Parliament. At the same time the Army does not want the country to think that the troops are back in barracks and civil administration is supreme. A happy via media is the answer to the myriad problems. Since Zardari is involved in the old corruption cases, so the Supreme Court may order removal of corrupt administrators and that would make the Army Numero Uno once again.
Won’t that scenario be as good as a bloodless coup that would enthrone the generals with Chief as the Head of Administration and the State both. Thus general Ashfaq Pervez Kayani would steal a march over all the previous Chiefs put together. The son of an army havildar will be a Chief, a King and an Emperor - all in one. The dance of democracy will be stage managed by the Pakistan Army.

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INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY CAUSES NATIONAL SHAME.

AUM
INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY CAUSES NATIONAL SHAME
By Chitranjan Sawant
The Foreign Minister of India went on an official visit to Malaysia. In its capital Kuala Lumpur he presented a set of silver bowls to his counterpart which was accepted with thanks. However, on a closer examination of the sterling silver presents it came to light that the silver ware was NOT made of silver but of a cheap alloy. On a further examination of records back home in New Delhi, it was discovered that the Ministry of External Affairs had paid a sum of Rs 44,000/- for the fake silver ware whereas the middle man who had facilitated the transaction had actually paid Rs 14,000 or so for the deal. The hell broke loose thereafter and an investigation in depth was ordered. The facts as stated heretofore were found to be true but no responsibility was pinpointed for bringing the Nation into disrepute.
It was further found that the same Foreign Minister, Shri SM Krishna had presented fake silver bowl to foreign ministers of other countries that he had visited. Not only that, it also came to light that the same middle man had been facilitating purchase and delivery of the fake silverware for the last ten years or so. Apparently some senior officers were also recipients of the largesse of these illegal transactions and they kept their mouths shut for a handful of silver and India continued to be put to shame for presenting fake silver ware to the foreign ministers of other countries with whom it wished to cultivate close friendly relations.
Nevertheless, no official, senior or junior has been punished for these acts and omissions of cheating that brought shame to our country. It is also not clear whether effective steps have been taken to ensure that there are no repetitions of such fake transactions in future. The law of the and may have to be made more stringent so that the cheats well versed in the art of fooling others do not get away with light punishment for serious crimes of this nature that involve reputation and image of the country.
It is rather unfortunate that the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India is involved in many acts and omissions of cheating directly or indirectly. There have been press reports about empty pass port books being found abandoned in uninhabited places or by the lake side in remote corners. If the blank pass port books are kept in safe custody under lock and key, there is no way of their disappearance surreptitiously. Many foreign terrorists were found in possession of the Indian pass ports seemingly issued through due process sanctioned by law. However, issuance of pass ports was done after palms of officials were greased and a lot of money changed hands elsewhere.
Moral of the story is that the Ministry of External Affairs, Govt of India has to tighten its belt and ensure that its blank documents or forged documents do not change hands and pass on into the hands of terrorists lest the security of our motherland is jeopardised.
Special Psychology lessons for the officers and clerks of the men and women handling sensitive documents have to be conducted to ensure security of sensitive documents. Now terrorism in many forms is on the ascendancy and any loose talk or inappropriate comment may harm us and benefit the enemy. Of course, no patriotic person will like that to happen. If a traitor is up to an act of this nature it is our sacred duty to prevent it.
Let us remember that our Dharma prohibits us from destroying our values of life and helping the enemy across the border for a handful of silver. Passing on fake silver ware as sterling silver and causing its presentation to a minister of a neighbouring country will indeed destroy friendly relationship. Such acts, if repeated every now and then, will damage the credibility of our country and no other country will take our WORD seriously. Indeed the permanent loss in diplomacy will be ours. The damage done will be irreparable and the isolation of India that is Bharat may be in perpetuity.
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INDIAN SECUARISM IS A SHAM

AUM
INDIAN SECULARISM AN EMPTY VESSEL
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
Empty vessels make much noise – indeed an old saying that is true today too. If a pitcher is full, it will make no noise at all. It will just carry water from point A to point B. On the contrary, a pitcher carrying just a little water will announce that it has no weight and may be ignored. Experienced observers of the Indian polity do not fight shy in expressing their opinion that the political parties that wear their secularism on their sleeves are patently communal. We shall analyse that a little later right in this article.
ALWAYS RELIGIOUS NEVER COMMUNAL
The Indian Armed Forces are a glaring example of being religious but never communal. The rank and file follow the religious custom and tradition meticulously but do not discriminate against a soldier, sailor or an airman because he professes a faith that is different from the one professed by an overwhelming majority of soldiers. All of them wine, dine and go into battle together against the enemy that follows a faith different from what the Indian majority follows.
The Truth is stranger than fiction. Many a practice narrated by war veterans is true to the tradition of togetherness. “Sanghatchhdhum samvadadhwam samvo manasijantam...”, the import of this Ved mantra of Togetherness comestrue when all soldiers fix their bayonets, utter a full throated battle cry and charge into the enemy( read Pakistan) bunkers likea ferocioustiger determined to kill. Theydo kill theenemywithout asking or trying to know what faith he professed. To the Indian soldiers, the Pakistani soldiers are just” Enemy of the Nation” irrespective of the religion that they follow.
The Maratha Light Infantry recruits its Jawans fromthe western India. A vast majority comprises Hindus who hold Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as the Role Model. With the advent of composite battalions, some Muslims of Maharashtra and Karnataka areas were also recruited. In the infantry charge all soldiers of the MLI raise a full throated battle cry “Bol CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI MAHARAJ KI JAI” and thrust their bayonets into the stomach of the Pakistani enemy, who were all Muslims The desendants ofAfza lKhan who was killed in action by Chhatrapati ShivajiMahara jnever hesitated even for a moment in keeping companywiththeir Hindu comrades-in-arms.
TRUE SECULARISM IN BATTLE LIES HERE. Practising true secularism and not a pseudo one has indeed paid good and rich dividends.
There are numerous examples of this nature. In the Rajputana Rifles, some rife companies raise the full throated battle cry ”Bol RAJA RAMCHANDRA KI JAI”AND SEND THE ENEMY PACKING TOTHE NEXT WORLD.
POLITICAL TURF
In the political domain the story is so different that the word : “Secularism”loses lustre. Its meaning is dissolved in the muddy waters of the local pond. Let us take the example of the first elected government of Kerala being dismissed by the Centre for dereliction of duty. Nehru was the Prime Minister but could not help being partial to his own Congress party of which his daughter, Indira Ji was the President. Not only that; the so called secular party the Indian National Congress entered into an alliance with the most low level communal party, Muslim League that was instrumental in creating a theocratic state called Pakistan. Congress mistakenly boasts of being a secular party but is still in alliance with the Muslim league and has a rank communalist as a minister at the Centre. Indeed! All that glitters is not gold.
When the Election Commission announces that elections in so and so state would beheld on so and so dates, there is a mad scramble among the pseudo-secular parties to field a Brahmin candidate from a Brahmin dominated constituency, a Kshatriya from akshatriya dominated constituency. Secularism is thrown to the winds. Our political leaders say one thing and profess another. The principle of secularism is the first casualty in a battle or in an electoral conflict. No leader, big or small, makes an endeavour to rescue the favourite hobby horse named secularism. It dies a pre-mature death in every electoral fray. Muslims become a much sought after community for their votes cast en-bloc. That image has now got a crack in the mirror. Nevertheless Muslims voting for Muslim candidates is nothing short of committing murder of secularism.
The Congress party and the governments in various States have jettisoned the principle of secularism at the drop of a hat and gone in for political expediency of the lowest order. Nonetheless, it must be asserted that a State run on the principle of secularism will produce positive results. Of course, what you sow, so must you reap. If the political parties of different hues and shades join hands to carry on the state administration on the principles of liberty, equality, fraternity and a sprinkling of secularism, the largesse of the State will be passed on to the people.
Secularism was born in Europe to get matters of State removed far away from the influence of the Christian church. The Pope of Rome had become so powerful that he would not only intervene in running of the State but also impose his views on monarchs in weddings and divorces. King Henry VIII of England not only broke away from the Catholic Church but also became a Protestant The King of England cannot be a Roman Catholic even today. Europe became a votary of the principle of secularism and that meant moving away from the shadow of influence of Pope of Rome. When that secularism came to India, it was confined to problems of Muslim separation from the State and not singing the national song like Vande Mataram, raising a slogan of patriotism like Bharat Mata Ki Jai and so on.
The more Gandhi Ji followed the policy of appeasement towards Muslims as a policy of secularism, the more stubborn Muslims under Jinnah became. The pseudo-secularism eventually led to the creation of Pakistan as the home land of the Indian Muslims. Neither Gandhi ji nor Nehru could fathom the abyss of the separatist mind of Muslims and kept on tolerating Separatism as Secularism. It was India that lost its undivided existence and its vivisection meant loss of lives, limbs and property. The al for secularism raised by the Congress from time to time was interpreted as appeasement of Muslims as a vote-bank and launching of one more anti-Hindu policy by the Congress.
The vast Hindu population of the country could see through the communal game of Muslim and Christian leaders of the Congress party when they brought an Anti-Communal Violence bill in 2005. It was a bill that smacked of communalism itself and one wonders why Sonia Gandhi was digging her own grave by this kind of thought process. The notorious bill was opposed by patriotic Indian s tooth and nail and did not reach the stage of introducing it in the Parliament. It was shelved for the time being. Opposition to this devilish design must go on.
The people of India will rise again to oppose this anti-Hindu and pro-Europe law and save the mother land, India that is Bharat from the Rakshas Raj being brought in as shady Secularism.
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MAYHEM IN YIWU,CHINA DIPLOMACY LOWKEY

AUM
MOBOCRACY IN YIWU CHINA
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM

The International Commodities market is located in a growing city named YIWU in Zhejiang province of China. If you are in business and wish to go there to make use of the booming economy of the Middle Kingdom, Pudong airport in Shanghai is the pace to land. You may hire a car for Yiwu for USD 130 and reach your destination in four hours. Obviously you will look for a hotel that accepts the Indian Rupee, pay Rs 4475 upwards for a good room of international standard and have a sound sleep. However, before venturing out into the chaotic Chinese market, do check up with the bell Captain of the hotel that God is in Heaven and all is well with China.
INDIA GOVT ADVISORY
Just a day or two before the Videsh Mantralaya, Bharat Sarkar has Advisory encouraging Indian businessmen not to visit Yiwu trading centre in China or do business with them. It is so because the local traders had got hold of two Indian traders named Shyam Sundar Agarwal and Deepak Raheja and kept them locked up as hostages for almost 20 days for non-payment of a debt incurred by their employer, a Yemeni businessman. The Indians were dragged to a local court of law where they pleaded that their employer should be brought to book and not the Indians as they were only employees.
The Indian Counsellor in Shanghai, Shri Balachandran who enjoys diplomatic immunity was present in the court room to facilitate communication. A large hostile crowd had assembled there and they not only made menacingly hostile gestures but used abusive language against Indians and even manhandled the Counsellor and the Indian businessmen. The former fainted but no medical assistance was provided to him. Shri Raheja’s brother in Bharat has authentic information that the Chinese crowd tore the clothes of the Indians and stripped them naked in the court room. The real culprit in the monetary transaction, the Yemeni citizen, was absconding and Indians bore the brunt. The Chinese administrative authorities declined to intervene until money matters were sorted out. As per the International Law, it was dereliction of duty on the part of the Chinese officials.
The Govt of India intervened and got in touch with their counterparts in Beijing. It was only then that the courtroom showed some semblance of order. Rule of Law was non-existent until then. The Chinese Ambassador in New Delhi, Zhang Yen has been boasting of his country been a civilised one but in the Yiwu incident there was no trace of civilisation. It is learnt that now five of the rioting traders of Yiwu have been detained by the local police for interrogation.
It is learnt from business circles that the travel and business advisory issued by the Govt of India had a salutary effect as the business circles in China feared losing large business with India. India is a big market for ready- made clothing items and toys made in China. Of late, China has suffered a dent in its building contracts overseas and the rural labour has returned to villages causing social unrest. Beijing does not wish to have more problems on the economic front than it could handle. Therefore, the administration has swung into action , though belatedly.
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COMMANDO CALLS IT A DAY AFTER A GOOD FIGHT

AUM
COMMANDO CALLED IT A DAY
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
Ajay Sood was his name. To his friends he was Kaka. To bosom friends or to bum chum, just kake. A man of a few words who had depth in his thoughts. He followed the Ved mantra in toto in this respect,”Ma tvam vado bahu”. The mantra enjoins on the believers not to talk a lot. In other respects he could be classified as a recluse who lived his life unbound by rules made by man. No wonder he remained unmarried all his life. Vivah Sanskar was meant to bind a man and a woman in chains for the entire life; never mind if the chain is a golden one.
Kake was Prometheus Unbound from day one in 1944 till he breathed his last on the last day of the last year,2011.
LOVED UNIFORM
What a contradiction in terms. The man who was far from uniformity in society to the extent of not touching the institution of marriage with a barge pole, loved to wear the uniform of the military. Military is an institution where regimentation is at its peak. A man who was independent in thought and action was keen on joining the Air Force. He loved to fly but it remained a dream. Dream that did not come true. He kept on pursuing it in another form. Joined the Indian Army as a commissioned officer. It was his sheer ambition that made him a Para Commando.
In the India-Pakistan conflict of 1965, he advanced and advanced. Almost knocked at the doors of Lahore, the epicentre of the undivided Punjab. His place of birth, Shimla was the summer capital of both India and the undivided Punjab. What a thrill; what a kick that beggars description. His ambitions as a uniformed officer were high but the castle in the air came tumbling down when his tenure as an Emergency Commissioned Officer came to a sudden end.
SKY WAS NOT THE LIMIT
Kake had to bid adieu to the uniformed that he loved to wear. Never mind, he assured himself. There were avenues galore open to him. He had just to venture out and hedid spread his wings far and wide. Mountains were his love. He was born a Pahari and would die a Pahari. He bought land in Palampur in Himachal Pradesh and started building a house there. Tourism and trekking in the high hills and unexplored zones were his new found love. It was here that he met with tremendous success.
The energy of a mountain man was unleashed now. The birds, the bees, the flowers, the leaves, not forgetting thorns of remote regions beckoned him and his tourists who came from distant lands and spoke languages unheard of so far in the romantic regions of the divine Himachal. The project of tourism and trekking in the high Himalayas was a roaring success. Kake had rediscovered himself and found unfathomed joy.
The blessed man took to writing. His prolific knowledge in the undiscovered region attracted publishers of repute who had excelled in the tourist industry. Before he could give a second thought to the new proposal from an eminent publisher in the tourism domain, Kake was sitting in the Editor’s chair. He wielded his pen well. The new magazine was sold like hot cakes. Many new airlines made a bee line for it and the fliers loved to read his articles flying high over the snow clad peaks of the Himalayas.
UNANNOUNCED END
Death gives no notice. Kake suddenly discovered that he had been nourishing the dreaded disease called cancer. Nevertheless his spirits were high. He kept on doing whatever he loved todo. The besan ka laddoo was his favourite sweet and he had them till his last breath. Kake lived the way he wished to. Like a good commando he battled with cancer till the end came. Kake fought hard, the result was not in his domain.
Yogeshwar shri krishne had counselled: do thy duty; the end result is not for you to see.
Kake was a conformist at the end for a change. May the Commando’s soul rest in peace for ever.
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DEATH SENTENCE IN CHINA

AUM
DEATH SENTENCE IN CHINA
By Brigadier Chitranjan Sawant,VSM
The concept of death sentence is as ancient in China as the kingship. Much before the constitutional concept of separation of powers among the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary came into existence, it was the monarch who exercised the authority of the three wings just mentioned plus the residual powers. His word was Law. He could order an individual, never mind if he or she was his subject or not, a citizen or an alien,to be hanged till death. The King had the unlimited powers on the life, limb, goods and chattel of anyone he could seize physically point of. The death sentence that the King awarded summarily was carried out forthwith by any means convenient at that time.
FIRST EMPEROR ONWARDS
Qin Shih Huang Di, the first Emperor of China was as fond of awarding the capital punishment to his subjects as any warlord before or kings of the Warring States were. The judicial system of modern China, the People’s Republic of China in the matter of award of Death Sentence is no different from what it was in the pre-recorded history period. It is ingrained in the Chinese blood that a criminal found guilty of a heinous crime or High Treason must pay for it with his life. The Islamic concept of the Blood Money is just not there, not even among the Muslims of China. The criminal Law is applied to one and all irrespective of the religion one follows FAITH is indeed a matter of personal conviction and the law of the land is never affected by personal faith.
The Chinese Kings could not have built the Great Wall if they were not strict bordering harshness in dealing with their own people. The State and the government are as strict in ensuring obedience of government orders as they were in the ancient period. The welfare of the people is subservient to the expediency of the State in the modern period or the kingdom of the ancient period.
In the soft states the dictum “eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth” is not observed and they say that observance of this dictum would make most of the citizens bind in one eye and toothless too. In India that is Bharat even a condemned terrorist sentenced to death by the Supreme Court is not hanged till death for ulterior motives. The Congress party led government mistakenly believes that hanging to death a terrorist sentenced to death by the Supreme Court of India would mean losing Muslim votes. The enlightened men and women of the Muslim community feel that this logic brands them as traitors and they protest. China has no such religion based road blocks. It augurs well for that State.
Executions in China are going on unabated. The Chinese leaders who govern that big country with the world’s largest population are of the opinion that unless the Law, including provision of the capital punishment, is enforced strictly, the nation might disintegrate. They are not prepared to accept dismemberment of their country,come what may.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT TODAY
Amnesty International has been keeping track of award of death sentence and ultimate executions in China. They found to their horror that in the year 2009therewere more executions in China than in the rest of the world combined. Even the Internal Security Minister found guilty of defrauding the government and making a large amount of money stashed in own account in a foreign bank, was sentenced to death. However, in view of his past record of good public service, the sentence of death has been kept under suspension.
The Railway Minister was found guilty of dereliction of duty as a number of train collisions had taken pace and valuable lives were lost. The Minister had also accepted a large amount of money as bribe from some foreign firms for awarding them contracts. However, he was just relieved of his post as a Minister and sidelined. No death sentence was awarded. People want to know WHY was the guity minister not given a death sentence? No authentic reply is forthcoming.
The Uighur Muslims of Xinjiang province have been sentenced to death for rioting and casing death or grievous injury to the Han Chinese settled there. In the year 2010 there were four executions of this nature. In earlier years too Uighur Muslims were sentenced to death and executed Although some foreign observers take it as an act of ethnic discrimination but they need to look into the cases deeper. The Uighur Muslims have a separatist tendency and are influenced by the Pan-Islamic movement. Some of them were trained in Pakistan and had an inclination to violently disturb peace in the province. The government of China had lodged a protest with the government of Pakistan and the latter had promised.
There are numerous examples of the officials of the Chinese Communist Party being found guilty of high level corruption to the tune of millions of dollars and they were sentenced to death and executed. Among them were Mayors of big cities like Shanghai. Some officials made millions of dollars while supervising construction work of the Olympic Games stadia and infra structure. They too were sentenced to death and executed.
One notable exception to the general rule of bringing the corrupt to book and even executing them is that of HU Junior, a son of China’s President Hu Jintao. He had bribed some officials in the African countries while bagging contracts of major building activities. The judicial authorities of those countries had punished their own citizens and sent an official complaint to Beijing to deal with HU Jr as per law. The case, however, has never seen the face of a presiding judge so far. It is gathering dust in the corridors of power. Gathering straws in the air, critics say that it was a fit case for award of death sentence and execution. Nothing of that sort happened. After all, a son of President of China is above law.
An independent legal observer may wish to give credit to the legal reforms introduced in China recently. One of the reforms that has become law now says that the evidence obtained by the police or any other investigating agency through TORTURE will not be admissible in a court of law. Of course, the onus to prove an act of torture will lie on the person who alleges that he or she was tortured.
One more reform that is urgently required is expeditious disposal of legal cases, especially criminal cases. The civil cases may take time but criminal cases where the accused is in jail and not on bail, must be disposed off as early as possible by the trial court. In case an accused is awarded the sentence of Death, an appeal is bound to be preferred by the accused. Unless the accused is a terrorist, a rapist or a rapist cum killer, he may be granted bail during pendency of the appeal. Indeed crux of the matter is expeditious final disposal of the criminal case even by the highest court of appeal. Thus the courts of law in China empowered to award a sentence of Death will shake off the age-old charge that Justice Delayed is Justice Denied.
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